Maybe It's Time
by Ella D. Scottson
Summary: After the war is over, Narcissa visits her older sister to give her a letter and the hopes of making mends in their broken relationship. Narcissa/Andromeda


Narcissa buried her hands in her cloak and her face in her hood as she tread the dark street. When she reached the end, she came to a stop in front of a quaint house that didn't really fit in with the rest and read the numbers on the mailbox. They were the numbers she had heard about, so she sighed and went up to the door. Nervously, she wrapped her fist on the door.

"Who is it?" a broken voice rang out from behind the wood.

She took a deep breath, "I don't think you would let me in if I told you." There was a long silence as Narcissa waited on the front steps anxiously, wondering she should just turn back and accept the broken ties. But after awhile, the front door cracked open and she could see the bright green eyes she hadn't looked into for years. She stepped closer, lowering the hood from her face, "Andromeda."

The door flew open, slamming the wall behind it, and Narcissa found herself at the mercy of her sister. "Give me a reason a shouldn't kill you!" Andromeda screamed, her hand shaking as she pressed her wand to Narcissa's throat.

Her own hands began trembling as she recalled the image of her niece being slaughter at Bella's hand. How once her sister was out of sight, she stayed by her niece's side, trying every charm and cure she could think of. How she held the girl's head in her lap and allowed herself to be consumed by regret. "I closed her eyes so she appeared as if she was asleep," Narcissa said quietly, "Before she… I promised her I'd make sure you and Teddy were alright. I owe your family that much."

Andromeda's eyes welled with tears as her hair flamed deep red, "You killed her?"

"No!" Narcissa choked pleadingly, "I swear on my life I never hurt her! I've chosen so poorly so many times, but never would I lay a hand on my family!"

"We are not family!" Andromeda said lowly. Her eyes were laden with so much hatred, Narcissa thought this idea sickly hopeless.

It felt like forever as those words sank in. "Yes we are," Narcissa said quietly, "I forgot that for a very long time, and that's why I'm here." Andromeda didn't say anything, but she was kind enough to lower her wand from Narcissa's throat. "We're the only family either of us have left," she explained.

"That's not true," Andromeda said with disdain, "You still have your husband and your child."

Narcissa sighed, "Lucius was taken to Azakaban this past Friday."

"Deserved," Andromeda said fiercely, "And you still have Draco."

"Yes, but-" Narcissa pleaded, but her sister just turned away and began to close the door, "Annie, wait!" Narcissa threw her hand out to stop the door and reached for her pocket. She pulled out a folded piece of parchment that had been covered in her niece's blood. "She asked me to help her write this," Narcissa said quietly, handing the letter to her sister, "Most of its written to Teddy, but she wanted you to know how she loved you."

Andromeda stared at the parchment despairingly like she couldn't bare its existence, like it made everything real. She took it slowly, and as she read it, Narcissa remembered every word.

_Dear Mum,_

_In case you didn't know, your older sister's a bitch! I'm sorry you're related to her, and I really hope someone can do her in before the night's over. Remus didn't make it either. Dolohov got him. He said the same thing I'm about to. Tell Teddy we loved him more than anything, and we died fighting for a better world for him. I wasn't willing to let him grow up in the world I'm looking at now. I know that between you, Molly, Arthur and Harry, he'll be fine. I still wish things had been different, but I was never great at timing. _

_As for you. I know you think Aunt Cissy is as bad as Bellatrix, and that Draco is a pure blooded prat, but neither of those things are true. Aunt Cissy is the one writing all this for me, and other than Teddy, she and Draco are the only family you have left, and I think maybe once all this is over, its time to forgive and forget. Because you two never actually did anything to each other, I asked Sirius. I know you probably won't listen, but its just a suggestion._

_Be sure to tell Teddy everyday how much I love him. And that when he goes to Hogwarts, McGonagall doesn't fall for anything from people us. Flitwick's the one to play the tricks on._

_I love you,_

_Dora_

Andromeda clasped her hand over her mouth and began to sob. Narcissa just stood there for a moment, not sure how she should help. As children, Annie had always been the one looking out for her. Now, it was her turn. Narcissa stepped forward and wrapped her arms around her sister's shoulders, "Annie, I am so sorry."

The two sisters stood there for a long time, and after awhile, Narcissa began crying too. "She always had her father's heart," Andromeda said quietly, pulling away.

Narcissa nodded, "I wish I chosen differently. I wish I could've known her."

Andromeda stared at her for a moment, "As much as you pretended to be like mum, dad, and Bella, you never were. You never wanted to play the games Bella played, and when you were sorted, the hat struggled with where to put you as much as he did with me and Sirius."

"Our family was so bent, Annie," Narcissa said quietly.

"Maybe its time to move on from them then," Andromeda sighed heavily.

Narcissa smiled feebly, "Thank you." Andromeda stared at her as if she didn't quite know where to go from here. "Perhaps I could bring Draco by tomorrow to meet his cousin?" she asked quietly.

Andromeda nodded, "We'll start from there then."

Without really thinking, Narcissa stepped forward and hugged her sister, "I do love you."

Andromeda hugged her back a little stubbornly, "I suppose I love you too."


End file.
